The Morrison County Sheriff’s Office reports that Saturday at approximately 1:43pm, their office received a report of a snowmobile accident with injuries near Bison Road and 230th Street, approximately three miles west of Randall in Parker Township. According to the Sheriff’s Office, 24-year old Ezra Spandl of Randall, was driving a snowmobile southbound on the snowmobile trail along Bison Road. Spandl was ejected from the snowmobile after hitting a road approach. Spandl was transported to St. Gabriel’s Hospital by Mayo Clinic Ambulance with unknown injuries.
--As weather permits, Morrison County maintenance employees will be working on cutting trees on County Roads 253 and 255 west of Pierz. Crews will be clearing brush and trees around bridges and guardrails in various parts of the county. Crews will be patching potholes in the southwest part of the county. Please use caution around work crews and flashing lights.
--A St. Cloud man who pleaded guilty to importing drugs across state lines has received a stayed sentence of just over 8 years in prison. 42-year-old Eric Noble was charged after a search warrant turned up what authorities say was a large amount of methamphetamine in his home. Noble pleaded guilty in November. According to the criminal complaint, officers found several bags of meth in the home in the 200 block of Tranquility Drive in St. Cloud in January 2019. Those bags added up to more than 5 ½ pounds of the drug. Surveillance equipment, cell phones, and other electronic devices were also found inside the house. Police say Noble admitted to buying approximately 140 pounds of meth from out of state at $3,500 per pound and then selling it for $5,000 per pound.
--A man who broke the jaw of a Minnesota State Trooper before leading authorities on an hours-long manhunt and robbing a man on the St. John's campus back in November has pleaded guilty to two felony charges. 29-year old Devan Wilson pleaded guilty to first-degree burglary and third-degree assault on Friday in Stearns County District Court. Five other charges were dismissed as part of his plea agreement. According to the criminal complaint, Wilson admitted to all of the crimes, but at times blamed imaginary people for them. The trooper had three fractures in his jaw and underwent surgery. A sentencing date for Wilson has not yet been set.
--On Monday, Minnesota House Democrats unveiled a plan to legalize recreational marijuana in Minnesota. Majority Leader Paul Gazelka (R-Nisswa) issued the following statement: "We are focused on the Minnesota Priorities that balance the budget without raising taxes, safely reopen schools and businesses to recover our economy, and support families. I would not consider legalizing recreational marijuana as a Minnesota priority. "I am open to looking at additional medicinal uses and a conversation around drug sentencing. My main concerns are the unintended consequences of recreational pot similar to the concerns we all have about tobacco, drinking, or prescription drug abuse. Just because it’s legal, doesn’t mean there aren’t consequences. We're just starting to learn about legalization's adverse effects in other states like Colorado and Washington. There is no reason to rush this in Minnesota without learning more."
--The State Website of Department of Health stated only 2 new deaths and 727 new cases of COVID-19 on Monday. Morrison County reported only 1 new case yesterday. The County website reported only 40 active cases Monday, 18 of those in Little Falls Zip Code.
--The Little Falls Area Chamber of Commerce is pleased to announce their February Employee of the Month is Joyce Kahl from the Morrison County Auditor-Treasurer Office. Joyce is an Account Specialist/Elections for Morrison County and has been with Morrison County for the past 37 years. Congratulations Joyce Kahl, Little Falls Area Chamber of Commerce February employee of the month.
--Governor Tim Walz announced that more than 35,000 Minnesotans age 65+ will have access to COVID-19 vaccines at over 100 clinics, hospitals, state community vaccination sites, and other locations across the state this week. Governor Walz is now moving forward with his all-of-the-above approach to vaccine distribution that bolsters the proven network of local health care providers that will administer vaccines to most Minnesotans in the coming months, while also cementing the path forward for community vaccination sites. The Governor also stated that the state has launched an online vaccine finder to better connect Minnesotans age 65+ to vaccination opportunities in communities near where they live. The vaccine finder will allow all eligible Minnesotans the opportunity to seek out the vaccine from a local provider.
--The Morrison County Commissioners meet this morning at 9am at the government center boardroom, with mostly agency reports.
ENTERTAINMENT NEWS
--”Saved by the Bell” actor Dustin Diamond has died at age 44. Diamond was just diagnosed with cancer three weeks ago. He was the nerdy “Screech” on the TV series starting in 1987 at age 11.
BIRTH ANNOUNCEMENT
--Benjamin and Erin Santala of Little Falls, a girl born January 29th.
DEATH NOTICES
--Vernon A. Radke, age 91 of Little Falls.
--Anthony “Tony” Harty, age 65 of Little Falls.
--Gary B. Deppa, age 67 of Cushing.
WEATHER
TODAY= freeze fog early, partly sunny skies, high 28.
TONIGHT= cloudy skies, low around 18.
WEDNESDAY= freezy fog at times, cloudy in afternoon, high 33
WED NIGHT= snow after midnight, low around 20.
THURSDAY= snow early, 1 inch, temps near 20 early the falling.
SPORTS
HS BBB= Little Falls at Foley at 7:15pm tonight on Q92 WYRQ.
GROUND HOG DAY HISTORY
--On February 2, 1887, Groundhog Day, featuring a rodent meteorologist, is celebrated for the first time at Gobbler’s Knob in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania. According to tradition, if a groundhog comes out of its hole on this day and sees its shadow, it gets scared and runs back into its burrow, predicting six more weeks of winter weather; no shadow means an early spring. Groundhog Day has its roots in the ancient Christian tradition of Candlemas, when clergy would bless and distribute candles needed for winter. The candles represented how long and cold the winter would be. Today's event happened around 7:25am Eastern Standard Time in Pennsylvania for 134th year since started in 1887.